Railing lamp



D. I. LANMON RAILING LAMP Nov. 27, 1956 Filed Dec. 6, 1954 ,rlla n Gaza 4110M} 4M dirl'ormz s United States Patent 2,772,347 RAILING LAMP Dwight I. Lanmon, Des Moines, Iowa Application December 6, 1954, Serial No. 473,141 7 Claims. (01. 240-4 This invention relates to post, railing or like lamps and is an improvement on the device shown in my copending application on a Railing Light, filed November 6, 1952, and bearing Serial No. 319,025, now Patent No. 2,721,255.

The main purpose of my post or railing light is to illuminate the porch or stoop of dwellings. In general, it is a part of the porch or stoop railing such as one of its Vertical posts. While my light is particularly adapted for porch railing, it is also excellent as a post lamp for yards, illuminated fencing, background lighting, commercial areas, airports, sea vessels and like.

In recent years, there has been a very definite trend toward better lighting for stairs, porches and stoops. Home, store and factory builders have made definite strides in trying to improve the lighting of these entrance structures. In some cases, the lights have been mounted in stair risers and the like to place the light directly on the stair surface. Stair riser lights or'even those placed at the side of, but on the level of the stair are subjected to breakage by accidental kicking or the like. Furthermore, on long stairways the riser lights tend to shine in the eyes of those trying to ascend the stairs. On the other hand, the traditional overhead light tends to cast a shadow on the stairs and cause them to be hazardous.

While a post lamp is needed for many uses, there are several factors to be considered due to the fact that the device is outdoors and subjected to the elements. Also the unit must be easily serviced.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a post or railing light that is weather proofed by having the incandescent lamp embraced by the post.

A further object of this invention is to provide a post or railing light that is of simple construction to permit assembly, repair, or the removal and replacement of elongated lamp bulbs. p

A still further object of my invention is to provide a post lamp that is free of rattles, and like objectionable noises.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a post or railing light that is shock proof.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide a railing, post, fence or like vertical lamp that is economical in manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. I

My invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination, of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my unit in use as a railing fence post,

Fig. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the same, and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1, and more fully illustrates its construction.

In these drawings I have used the numeral to generally designate the rectangular post portion of my device. This post has a back 11, and sides 12 and 13 as shown in 2,772,347 Patented Nov. 27, 1956 Fig. 2. Thefront center portion of thispost-at 14 is completely open. Each end portion of the front of the. post has edge inturned flanges 15. The purpose of these ledge flanges 15 will hereinafter be understood. The numeral 16 designates an elongated spring bar having its upper end portion bent forwardly at a right angle and designated by the numeral 17. On the lower end of this bar is a strip of non-conductive material 18, such as plastic,,laminated paper or like. This strip is secured by rivets or like 19 and has its lower end portion bent forwardly at a right angle and designated by the numeral 20. These member portions 16, 17, 18 and 20 form my lamp bracket. The ends 17 and 20 each have a length just slightly more than the distance between the inside bottom of the post and the under sides of the ledge flanges 15. Thus, when the lamp bracket is slid into the post through the front opening 14, its length must be manually bent or bowed forwardly to cause the portions 17 and 20 to extend at something different than a right angle to the back of the post as shown in Fig. 3. Thus, the parts 17 and 20 at such an angle will slip under the ledges 15. However, upon manual release of the lamp bracket its spring action will tend to straighten its length, and thereby tend to bring the portions 17 and 20 into right angles respectively to the post back. With the lengths of the portions 17 and 20 being relatively what they are, this is impossible, the length of the spring bracket will remain at least partly bowed forwardly and the portions 17 and 20 will thereby be yieldingly wedged between the inside back of the post 10 and the under side of the ledges 15 as shown in Fig. 3. By such wedge action the lamp bracket will be adjustably yieldingly held in any desired position of its sliding movement in the post. The numeral 21 designates a lamp socket mounted on the portion20. Its two electric lines 22 and 23 extend downwardly and from the bottom of the post. They may extend therefrom through a conduit (not shown) and are adapted to be in a circuit in communication with a source of electric energy. The numeral 24 designates an ordinary elongated incandescent lamp bulb detachably threaded into the lamp socket and extending longitudinally in the spring lamp bracket. The bowed part of the bracket16 extends forwardly to engage the side of the lamp 24 and prevent its vibration. This spring action prevents all parts of the post from rattle and vibration as will later be seen. The front cover of the post is designated by the numeral 25 and has rearwardly bent side edges to overlap the sides of the post as shown in Fig. l. The front lid 25 may be detachably securedby any suit able means. One way is to provide elongated nut bars 26 placed back of the ledges and threaded bolt rods 27 extending through the cover lid and threaded through the nut bars respectively, as shown in Fig. .3. The numeral 28 designates a window opening in the face of the cover. The numeral 29 designates a sheet of glass, plastic or like secured by any suitable means on the inner side of the cover 25 and inclosing the opening 28. The bowed portion of the lamp bracket resiliently engages the lamp and forces the same against the glass or like 29, thereby bringing yielding action against the glass, the lid, and other parts to eliminate rattle and vibrations. In assembling or disassembling the unit, or adjusting the elevation of the lamp back of the glass window, it is necessary to manually further bow the spring bracket forwardly, to bring the free ends of the portions 17 and 20 out of frictional engagement with the underside of the ledges 15.

The top of the post may be enclosed by any suitable method. In the drawings I show a horizontal fence rail portion 30.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my post lamp construction without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a lamp post unit, a rectangular post having a back, two ides, an open front central portion and inwardly turned flanges on its upper and lower portions, an elongated spring lamp bracket in said post having its two ends bent forwardly normally at right angles to its length and with said bent ends each having a length greater than that of the distance between the inside back of said post and the under side of said inwardly turned flanges, whereby said spring lamp bracket is required to be yieldingly bowed between its two ends to permit said bent ends to rest between the inside back of said post and said flanges, a lamp socket on one of said forwardly bent ends, an incandescent lamp in said lamp socket adapted to be in communication with a source of electric current, and a front cover on said post having a window.

2. In a lamp post unit, a rectangular post having a back, two sides, an open front central portion and inwardly turned flanges on its upper and lower portions, an elongated spring lamp bracket in said post having its two ends bent forwardly normally at right angles to its length and with said bent ends each having a length greater than that of the distance between the inside back of said post and the under side of said inwardly turned flanges, whereby said spring lamp bracket is required to be yieldingly bowed forwardly between its two ends to permit said bent ends to rest between the inside back of said post and said flanges, a lamp socket on one of said forwardly bent ends, an incandescent lamp in said lamp socket adapted to be in communication with a source of electric current and having its side engaging the yielding bowed portion of said lamp bracket, and a front cover on said post having a window.

3. In a lamp post unit, a rectangular post having a back, two sides, an open front central portion and inwardly turned flanges on its upper and lower portions, an elongated spring lamp bracket in said post having its two ends bent forwardly normally at right angles to its length and with said bent ends each having a length greater than that of the distance between the inside back of said post and the under side of said inwardly turned flanges, whereby said spring lamp bracket is required to be yieldingly bowed forwardly between its two ends to permit said bent ends to rest between the inside back of said post and said flanges, a lamp socket on one of said forwardly bent ends, an incandescent lamp in said lamp socket adapted to be in communication with a source of electric current and having its side engaging the yielding bowed portion of said lamp bracket, and a front cover on said post having an opening, a light passing sheet member closing said opening and in engagement with the side of said lamp.

4. In a lamp post unit, a rectangular post having a back, two sides, an open front central portion and inwardly turned flanges on its upper and lower portions, an elongated spring lamp bracket in said post having its two ends bent forwardly normally at right angles to its length and with said bent ends each having a length greater than that of the distance between the inside back of said post and the under side of said inwardly turned flanges, whereby said spring lamp bracket is required to be yieldingly bowed forwardly between its two ends to permit said bent ends to rest between the inside back of said post and said flanges, a lamp socket on one of said forwardly bent ends, an incandescent lamp in said lamp socket adapted to be in communication with a source of electric current and having its side engaging the yielding bowed portion of said lamp bracket, and a front cover detachably secured on said post having an opening, a light passing sheet member closing said opening and in engagement with the side of said lamp.

5. In a lamp post unit, a rectangular post having a back, two sides, and inwardly turned flanges on its upper and lower portions, an elongated spring lamp bracket in said post having its two ends bent forwardly normally at right angles to its length and with said bent ends each having a length greater than that of the distance between the inside back of said post and the under side of said inwardly turned flanges, whereby said spring lamp bracket is required to be yieldingly bowed between its two ends to permit said bent ends to rest between the inside back of said post and said flanges, a lamp socket on one of said forwardly bent ends, an incandescent lamp in said lamp socket adapted to be in communication with a source of electric current, and a front cover on said post having a window.

6. In a lamp post unit, a rectangular post having a back, two sides, and inwardly turned flanges on its upper and lower portions, an elongated spring lamp bracket in said post having its two ends bent forwardly normally at right angles to its length and with said bent ends each having a length greater than that of the distance between the inside back of said post and the under side of said inwardly turned flanges, whereby said spring lamp bracket is required to be yieldingly bowed forwardly between its two ends to permit said bent ends to rest between the inside back of said post and said flanges, a lamp socket on one of said forwardly bent ends, an incandescent lamp in said lamp socket adapted to be in communication with a source of electric current and having its side engaging the yielding bowed portion of said lamp bracket, and a front cover on said post having an opening, a light passing sheet member closing said opening and in engagement with the sides of said lamp.

7. In a lamp post unit, a rectangular post having a back, two sides, and at least a portion of a front, an elongated spring lamp bracket in said post having its two ends bent forwardly normally at right angles to its length and with said bent ends each having a length greater than that of the distance between the inside back of said post and the under side of said front portion, whereby said spring lamp bracket is required to be yieldingly bowed between its two ends to permit said bent ends to rest between the inside back of said post and said front portion, a lamp socket on one of said forwardly bent ends, an incandescent lamp in said lamp socket adapted to be in communication with a source of electric current, and a front cover on said post having a window.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,942,290 Horn Jan. 2, 1934 2,149,635 Shepard Mar. 7, 1939 2,251,050 'Hagerty July 29, 1941 2,338,521 Levy Jan. 4, 1944 2,499,250 Kasher Feb. 28, 1950 

